Adam Woodyatt has been praised by 'Coronation Street' stars for dedicating 'EastEnders' National Television Award win to the late Anne Kirkbride

The Walford stalwart gave a speech on behalf of the show's cast to accept the Serial Drama prize and thanked producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins while also praising the late 'Coronation Street' actress - whose character Deirdre Barlow was dubbed 'The Weatherfield One' when she was wrongly jailed for fraud in 1998 - following her death on Monday (19.01.15) aged 60.

He said: "Thank you so much for voting for us in what is going to be our 30th year. A big thank you to Dom and his team. He's the man who's picked our programme up and dragged us back up here, because we haven't been up here for this for something like four years. So a big thank you to Dom and all his team from us.

"I'd also like to say a big thank you to 'Coronation Street', because without you there'd be no 'EastEnders'. There'd be no Phil and Ian. There'd be no Mick and Linda, no Kat and Alfie - without your enduring characters like Ken and Deirdre. So if you don't mind, we'd like to accept this for the Weatherfield One."

The soap veteran - who plays Ian Beale - was later praised by 'Coronation Street' stars for his kind words.